Tag Archives: carrots

As a foodie, farmer and cook, I enjoy doing many things from scratch. With my surgery a week away, I’ve been organizing recipes for my 10 day post-op liquid diet and wanted to include some homemade chicken or beef broth. I recently came across the benefits of bone broth. Although similar to stock, bone broth is more rich in flavor and nutrients, making it a healing food. Gelatin, found in the joints and knuckles of bones, is one of the most prominent “super foods” for healing a troubled digestive system. It protects and heals the mucosal lining of the digestive tract and helps to regenerate cells. It also aids in the absorption of nutrients. Marrow, found in the larger bones such as the femur, helps to strengthen bones and connective tissues, as well as supporting the immune system.

Bone broth is a time-honored tradition with a long history. It is not an accident that chicken soup was given for ailments from colds to upset stomachs. Its soothing qualities help support the immune system. it is one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can find. It protects your joints with natural glucosamine, and the glycine in it helps us sleep better. Bone broth is a rich source of collagen that will feed your skin, hair and nails. The title of “super food” is well deserved.

Bone broths of all kinds are inexpensive to make and will reward you ten-fold with flavor and nutrients not found in any commercial product. Be sure to choose your bones carefully from 100 percent grass-fed and finished cows, pastured chickens, and wild-caught fish. Seek out a local, sustainable farmer or fisherman. I have found that I prefer to make bone broth from chickens in a crock pot, and beef broth in the oven. The choice is up to you. Either way, the bottom line is that you will end up with the most rich and healthful broth you have ever tasted!

Beef bone broth ready for the oven.

Beef Bone Broth:

4 lbs. beef marrow and knuckle bones

1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar (I prefer Braggs)

2 stalks of celery, halved

3 carrots, halved

3 onions, quartered

4 cloves garlic, peeled

Handful fresh parsley

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Filtered water (as much that will fit into your Dutch oven

Himalayan pink salt

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Place all ingredients in large Dutch oven and bring to a boil.

When I first came to the farm and was getting my sea-legs, I did not like beets. In fact I’ve never liked beets. When I saw dozens of 100 foot rows planted, I remember asking Val, “Is there really a call for this many beets?” I soon learned that beets are one of our most popular crops. I also learned that when you grow food without chemicals, it directly affects the flavor of those vegetables. You have an opportunity to find how they genuinely taste, which is often incredibly sweet. Over time, with Val’s encouragement, I learned to not only like beets, but love them! Now I pickle them, roast them and put them in soups. When the weather cools off, soups come front and center. After making borscht for several years with red beets, I began to wonder if it would work with our beautiful golden beets. Slightly milder in flavor, I knew they would match up equally well with our carrots, onions, potatoes and dill. It’s a wonderfully satisfying soup.

Often times, during the growing season fatigue sets in at the end of the day and preparing a meal takes a back seat. For the past two farm seasons, I’ve been in the process of healing from a major intestinal bleed-out and have not be able to actively weed or harvest vegetables along side Val and our farm hand Zac. After two days at market, it literally takes the next four or five to rest and recover. Val my ever-ready bunny continues to be the mover and shaker at Brickyard Farms. She deals with the additional workload without complaint, always upbeat and positive. My “job” is to keep up with the bookkeeping, marketing and prepare a decent meal.

I’m embarrassed to admit in the past I have typically approached meal planning with what do I feel like cooking? Rather than, what do we have and how can I use it creatively? It has taken time to really grow into a sense of place on our farm. That left over feeling of entitlement from my previous life sometimes blocks recognizing the incredible abundance we have here. With 5.5 acres of chemical-free vegetables and easy access to local cheese and meat; why would I choose to cook anything else? So my current mission is to create meals using only the vegetables that we grow before anything else is considered. I allow myself a wide array of condiments and spices, but the foundation comes from the farm.

This week there are carrots, potatoes and tomatoes for starters, so I opted for a roasted concoction inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi. It was the first time I had added a dressing to warm veggies. The result made me weep with the realization that there is no lack of anything, only an overflowing abundance.

Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Place the onions and carrots in a large bowl and add the olive oil, thyme, rosemary, garlic, 1 tsp salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Toss well and spread out on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes.

While the onions and carrots are roasting, prepare the potatoes. Add the potatoes to the pan and toss to coat. Return to the oven and roast for an additional 40-50 minutes. When the vegetables are cooked through and have taken on a golden color, stir in the halved tomatoes. Roast for an additional 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice, capers, maple syrup, mustard and 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour the dressing over the vegetables as soon as you take them out of the oven. Remove head of garlic. Place roasted vegetables in decorative bowl and sprinkle with coarse salt. Place garlic head on top. When serving break up head and squeeze garlic paste on each serving. Pass the Kleenex.

Although we are vegetable farmers, there are few things we enjoy more than a tender succulent roast, slow cooked in the oven (or crock-pot) that yields multiple meals. We are so fortunate to have easy access to beautiful grass-fed beef and lamb, along with milk-fed pork at the Fulton Street Farmer’s Market where we are seasonal vendors. In fact, Karin Uebbing from Woodbridge Dairy Farm in Byron Center, Michigan and I have decided to collaborate on a cookbook. Bits, Bones and Pieces will highlight the many ways to enjoy beef and pork; even those unusual cuts that sometimes baffle us. During this process, I am learning a great deal about dairy farming and raising healthy livestock, and Karin (not to mention her family) are expanding their culinary horizons. It certainly seems like a win, win!

Karin, who is known for her straight forward assessments of how she sees things has said, “All farms are like humans; no two are exactly the same and one type vs. another type is not good or bad, simply different.” Woodbridge Dairy Farm is one of the many farms going the extra mile by making the decision to build a sustainable, well-run farm that uses traditional methods that include the elimination of chemicals and pesticides, and utilizing pasture rotation for an environment that produces healthy livestock. As a customer, I enjoy knowing where my meat is coming from, as well as the satisfaction of supporting another farmer in their quest to produce a quality local product.

Farmers are often passionate people to love to share their commitment to their farm and the customers they serve. They patiently answer question from folks who don’t necessarily know what they do, or how they do it. For them, big is not always better. In fact for many, quality is far more important than quantity.

Heat ghee in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the whole shallots to the pot, browning them on all sides. Remove the shallots to a plate.

Throw the carrots into the same very hot pot and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so. Reserve the carrots with the shallots.

Turn the burner on high and add a bit more ghee to the very hot pot (make sure your fan is on!). Place the roast in the pot and sear it for about 2 minutes on each side until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate.

With the burner still on high, deglaze the pot with a red wine, scraping the bits from the bottom with a whisk. Add the beef stock. Place the roast back into the pot and top with the shallots, carrots, garlic, potatoes and herbs.

Cover and place in oven for 3 hours. The roast in tender when it’s fall-apart tender. This can take up to 4 hours total. Serve with vegetables. Pass sauce.

It’s March 1st and winter still has us in her clutches, with no sign of letting go anytime soon. I tell myself “no problem” and head into our basement to see what vegetables are still holding up. I find both white and orange sweet potatoes and carrots still in good condition. I dig around the freezer and find a quart of homemade chicken stock. I grab some onions and garlic and head back upstairs.

Whenever I want to make soup using root vegetables, I find I like to roast them first. It always gives the soup much more depth, not to mention those warming smells in the kitchen. As I’ve mentioned both in my previous blog Basics With A Twist, and this one, I always lean toward the savory, I enjoy herbs and spices and love what they do to food. It’s really ethnic cooking at its finest.

With this soup I’ll roast the sweet potatoes and carrots to make a puree for the base. While they’re in the oven I will toast cumin and coriander seeds. Toasting whole seeds releases a flavor far superior to purchased ground spices; you’ll find the scents exotic and sensual. Although you can grind them in a spice mill, I prefer to use a granite mortar and pestle. I also use shallots, rather than onion, and brown them slightly. I like how the sweetness of the root vegetables pairs with the intensity of the spices. Puree it altogether with a bit of apple cider vinegar and it really comes alive. I enjoy topping it with toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and chopped cilantro.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup:

6 cups sweet potato, peeled and cubed

4 cups carrot, peeled and sliced into 2 inch sections

4 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

4 cups homemade chicken stock

3/4 tsp cumin seed, toasted and ground

1/2 tsp coriander seed, toasted and ground

1 1/2 cups shallots, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 Tbsp ghee

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cayenne

1 14oz can full-fate coconut milk

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Perfectly roasted veggies

Toasted cumin and coriander seeds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and cut sweet potatoes and carrots; place in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt. Toss until well coated; place on large sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Place in oven for 40 minutes or until soft; turning vegetables halfway through. Cool.

While vegetables are roasting, place cumin and coriander seeds in small dry skillet over medium heat and toast until lightly brown. Grind in mortar and pestle or in spice grinder. Set aside.

After vegetables are cool, place half of them in a blender with some of the chicken stock and puree until smooth; pour into large bowl and set aside; repeat with remaining vegetables and stock.